So we know that inflating a kite with Helium would not work but...

Aerogel could it be the answer for the whole kite market especially low wind (less struts) it is 99% air but solid up to 4000 times its weight. It can be home-made too...

Can it be pressurized? can it be inflated then deflated back into a specialized canister or something?

If anyone is good with chemistry could explore the feasibility?

www.aerogel.org/

Current cost is prohibitive www.buyaerogel.com/ I'm sure it'll come down with time and tech development. Very interesting stuff.

Select to expand quote

kiteboy dave said..

Current cost is prohibitive www.buyaerogel.com/ I'm sure it'll come down with time and tech development. Very interesting stuff.

I've seen that you can make it at home? Surely it can't be that expensive? I'm just really curious about the properties of such product... I mean it could even be used for boards like SUPs?

Yeah I had a look at the guy's site who made it at home. Not easy though - buy rare chemicals (difficult due to regulation) then maintain a co2 bath then boil co2 off then methanol bath etc. Probably not that cheap and definitely not for the feint-hearted!

Also you'd need the special waterproof one
Hydrophobic Silica aerogels are specially formulated to repel water and to not absorb moisture from the air. Where Classic Silica tends to shrink and cloud in humid environments, Hydrophobic Silica retains its transparency and integrity. Floats on water without damage! Excellent for applications involving absorption of hydrophobic substances such as oil.

As with the development of any technology this is probably a good example of where our sport can go in terms of design and application. If you look at surfboard design not just in shapes, but with the transition of wood to foam, then better, stronger, and lighter foam, there is a long way to go in how these ideas are developed. Pretty exciting really to live in the age we do.